SHREVEPORT, La. – It’s no secret that after Halloween, we ramp right up to the holidays, when sweet treats are everywhere. So how does one manage the temptations to stick with one’s fitness goals? 

Fitness expert Doctor John Jaquish, author of several fitness books, says you need to have strategies to protect yourself from falling off the fitness wagon. 

“I always say if I’m going to a place and there’s going to be food, I will eat a full meal (before), so you don’t want to show up hungry, you solve that problem, it’s a lot easier to say, I’ll have that later,” Jaquish said. 

According to Jaquish, party-goers should have a plan and expect the unexpected.  One element could be carrying around with you your own emergency bag of provisions, in this case, healthy snacks like unsalted nuts, granola bar or dried fruit.

Jaquish said the brain can confuse thirst with hunger, so people should stay hydrated, consuming 6 to 8 glasses of water per day.  Two big glasses of water before heavy caloric meals can help lessen how much you eat.

Another tip is to try building physical activity into your holiday plans, like visiting a skating rink, or a family walk around the neighborhood. Movement also is key, even at a get together, as Jaquish added, “Movement suppresses the appetite, sometimes you can go into another room, do some bodyweight squats just as low as you can go, all the way up to 20 of these, the blood’s going to move from your digestive system, to your legs and you’re not going to get hungry anymore.” 

Finally, he said plan your workouts for the week, and note them in your schedule.  The doctor said keeping a steady pace and increasingly heavy resistance, not the length of the workout is the key to success.

Dr. John Jaquish is the author of several health-oriented books. You can learn more about them at Jaquish Biomedical.